Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and child welfare systems often serve the same families, but they don't always talk to each other. This Child Welfare Information Gateway webpage helps bridge that gap by explaining what the reunification process looks like from the child welfare side, including planning, timelines, and required supports. For TANF practitioners, this is essential context. When you know what families are being asked to demonstrate before a child can return home, you can align your services — employment support, financial assistance, case management — to help them meet those benchmarks, rather than working in parallel without connection.

Updated by the American Bar Association each June, this webpage pulls together events and family stories focused on National Family Reunification Month, offering practical resources on what helps families heal and reconnect after separation. This page is a strong reminder that reunification is an ongoing process that requires coordinated support. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this webpage is a useful touchpoint to find useful materials and connect with national conversations and state events. These resources can reinforce to the families you serve that their goal of coming back together is worth the fight.

Workforce Pell was created in response to a simple truth: a great education and a better life do not necessarily require a four-year college degree. Whether through apprenticeships, hands-on Career and Technical Education, or certificate programs, pathways that prepare students for high-skill, family-sustaining employment are critical to our nation’s success and should have access to the same Pell Grant funding as traditional undergraduate programs.

Beginning on July 1, 2026, students will be able to receive Pell Grants for enrollment in high-quality, short-term educational programs that prepare them for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand jobs. This new program will help more Americans rapidly enter the workforce with little-to-no student debt while simultaneously strengthening the nation’s talent pipeline.

This new rule opens opportunities for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and workforce partners to help participants access federal funding for short-term, job-focused training. Programs can explore how Workforce Pell Grants may support eligible participants in enrolling in credential and skills training that leads directly to employment in high-demand fields.

For TANF agencies, this is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships with training providers and education systems, reduce financial barriers to participation, and expand the range of training options available to families working toward stable employment and long-term economic mobility.

The NEW Annual Program Report helps Tribal programs document employment and training activities, participant outcomes, and the services being provided to Native individuals and families. The Office of Family Assistance developed and published this fillable program report form with instructions for NEW grant recipients. For Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and NEW practitioners, this resource provides useful guidance on how to successfully complete the form, as well as track program impact, strengthen reporting practices, and better understand how workforce services are supporting participants on pathways toward employment and economic stability. Programs can also use the report to identify trends, strengthen partnerships, and support planning efforts that reflect the needs and priorities of Tribal communities.

The Office of Family Assistance developed and provided these reporting instructions, designed to help Tribal TANF programs accurately complete required financial reporting. While financial reporting guidance can often feel overwhelming, these instructions break down what information needs to be reported and how Tribal TANF programs can stay aligned with federal requirements.

For Tribal TANF administrators and financial staff, the instructions help reduce confusion around reporting expectations and support stronger program management. Accurate reporting is essential for demonstrating how TANF funds are being used to support families and communities. Tribal TANF programs can use this resource to strengthen internal processes, train staff, and improve consistency across reporting activities. It also serves as a helpful reference for newer staff members who may be unfamiliar with Tribal TANF financial reporting requirements.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced $6 million in funding for states to pilot the use of predictive analytics in child welfare programs. The initiative is intended to help child welfare agencies explore how data and technology can support earlier identification of family needs, improve service coordination, and strengthen decision-making processes. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this announcement highlights the growing role data tools may play in supporting families across human services systems. TANF programs may find this resource useful as they consider how data-sharing partnerships, early intervention strategies, and cross-system collaboration can help better identify family needs and connect participants to supportive services before challenges escalate.

This Office of Family Assistance Information Memorandum (IM) highlights how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds can be used to support families with childcare needs, including parents and caregivers who provide care at home. It offers flexible ways for TANF programs to support family stability while recognizing the realities many caregivers face when balancing work, caregiving responsibilities, and economic hardship.

The IM can help TANF practitioners think more broadly about how childcare supports fit into employment and family well-being goals. It also offers useful guidance for program planning, policy discussions, and partnerships with childcare providers and community organizations. TANF programs looking to strengthen support for caregivers, reduce barriers to participation, or expand family-centered approaches may consider how they can apply this information in their own communities.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) non-assistance funds flow through workforce boards, employment program providers, and community partners—but data about service delivery often lives in separate systems. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified this as a core program integrity challenge: without cross-agency data infrastructure, TANF agencies struggle to assess provider performance, identify service gaps, and connect spending to participant outcomes.

As a result, the Office of Family Assistance’s State and Tribal Technical Assistance and Resources (STAR) team developed the TANF Program Integrity Office Hours as a series of topical peer learning sessions where TANF agencies can share what's working, explore real challenges, and walk away with practical strategies they can use to address the challenge identified by GAO.

This recording includes key takeaways from the May session, highlights from peer discussions, and an overview of how to use and navigate the companion resource, which can help TANF programs identify where to begin when building or strengthening cross-agency data partnerships to support program integrity efforts.

GovLoop developed this webinar and companion product to examine how agencies can simplify and modernize forms and document processes to improve the customer experience. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, complicated paperwork and outdated systems can create barriers for both families and staff. Both resources outline practical ways agencies can reduce administrative burden, improve accessibility, and make it easier for clients to complete applications and submit information. TANF practitioners and program leaders can use these ideas to support more efficient service delivery, reduce delays, and create processes that are easier for families to navigate.

This MDRC report explores how two workforce programs in Los Angeles adapted employment services to better meet the needs of young people. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners serving youth and young parents, this resource offers insight into why flexible, individualized approaches matter. The resource highlights strategies such as personalized coaching, relationship-building, and responsive support services that help young people stay engaged and move toward employment goals. Programs looking to improve participation, reduce barriers, and better connect with younger clients may find useful ideas for strengthening their own service delivery models.